HISTORIC HOMES GET PLAQUES

Owners of more than 50 vintage homes have received bronze plaques issued under an innovative fund-raising program of the Fort Lauderdale Historic Society.

The individually numbered plaques are being offered, at a cost of $150, to owners of houses built before the end of World War II.

According to Dan Hobby, the historic society's executive director, the plaques are intended to promote historic preservation in Fort Lauderdale and bring recognition to those owners making significant efforts to preserve older buildings.

"There are a lot of nice, interesting houses around," he said, "and such a wide range, from upscale places like the Sheppard Estate to small wooden houses people might not know about."

To obtain one of the distinctive oval plaques, owners should apply to the historic society, providing a photograph of their houses accompanied by any background information.

If no significant structural modifications have been made to the property, the society can approve the application.

Each plaque carries the historic society's name, the number of the plaque, the date the house was built and the designation of historic property.

Also available, at an additional cost of $120, is a similarly designed, solid brass address plaque with the street number of the residence.

According to Jim Prettyman, a director of the historic society, the first six plaques were presented to properties considered public institutions, such as the Stranahan House.

Built in 1901, it is the oldest existing structure in the city, so it was appropriately issued plaque No. 1.

The New River Inn (1905), Philemon Bryan House (1905), King-Cromartie House (1907), Bonnet House (1922) and Old Dillard School (1924) joined the Stranahan House in receiving prestigious first issues.

Prettyman is owner of the Sheppard Estate at 1620 E. Las Olas Blvd., built in 1926. It is an impressive example of the Mediterranean Revival style of architecture, which enjoyed immense popularity among old Fort Lauderdale's well-to-do.

"We received the first plaque issued to single-family homes because of the historical significance of the Sheppard Estate," he said.

According to Prettyman, it is the only architecturally correct Broward residence of its time built specifically as an estate. He said the opulent house was designed by the prominent Coral Gables architect, H. George Fink, who studied architecture in Spain.

Prettyman said Fink was dubbed a don by Spain's King Al-phonse XIII for his efforts in reproducing Spanish architecture in America.

Owners of more modest homes are encouraged to obtain historic plaques for their houses, for theirs may actually be more representative of the residences of the 1920s and 1930s.

For example, a 1925 news story reported home-building had soared, and "probably none of the smaller cities of Florida is making such rapid strides as Fort Lauderdale in the construction of small, moderate-priced homes."

Hugh Morris' modest Sailboat Bend residence at 801 W. Las Olas Blvd., built in 1936, is one of those traditional wooden structures. His one-bedroom, cracker-style cottage will wear historic plaque No. 32, while another of Morris' houses, at 804 Tequesta St., built in 1939, will carry plaque No. 31.

"I think [the plaque) lends some distinction to these historic houses," said Morris, a member of the historic society, "and brings some money to the society for its restoration projects."

Hobby said about 50 plaques have been issued since the project started last spring, and he hopes the program will be expanded in the future.

"We hope it's an ongoing pro-ject," he said. "Eventually, we want to prepare a booklet highlighting those homes for someone wanting to know more about the old houses in Fort Lauderdale."

He also said the program may be extended to commercial properties, since many have historic significance. He cited the late Mediterranean Revival Selkirk Building at 644 S. Andrews Ave. as an example.

Built in 1938 to house a Coca-Cola bottling plant, the structure is representative of such style in commercial application. But, for the homeowner, Pret-tyman suggested there is no better time than now to acquire an historic bronze plaque.

"Christmas is the ideal time to get it," he said. "It's a perfect gift for someone who has everything."

For information about the historic plaque program, call the Fort Lauderdale Historical Society at 463-4431.